Pre-seeded soil mixtures, such as germinating mixes, potting soils, peat cubes and compressed pellets, have been used in forestry, agricultural, commercial and home uses. These mixtures contain seeds dispersed in a soil mixture that is later deposited to allow the seeds to germinate and grow. These mixtures thus obviate time-consuming labor, such as digging, tilling and cultivating. Some mixtures are also used in indoor and outdoor pots and planters. Most soil mixtures are usually free from insects, diseases and weeds and have enough fertilizer incorporated for the first few weeks of plant growth. However, because of the favorable environment provided by the soil mixtures the seeds tend to germinate during storage or transport of the soil mixture before the mixture is deposited for its intended use. The seedlings are bulky and often become root-bound, resulting in limited time periods for storage and transportation. They are also exposed to injury and to unfavorable environmental conditions, resulting in excessively high mortality rates of the seedlings.
In order to prevent easy germination and seed mortality, soil mixtures have been compressed into soil wafers or pellets to provide easy modes of transporting the soil mixtures while limiting the water necessary for germination. However, these compressed wafers may not effectively prevent water intrusion or germination of the seeds. Furthermore, these compressed soil wafers or pellets have been distributed to desired areas by distributing them on the surface of a desired area.
In addition to the risks of early germination, newly planted, as well as established plants, are susceptible to damage from burrowing animals. Currently, the eradication of burrowing animals includes either trapping or poisoning the burrowing animals. The burrow systems of the burrowing animals are then left intact due to what was traditionally believed to be an inability to fill them. The resulting voids may pose health risks, be a likely location for flooding or other water related issues, or provide a convenient location for re-infestation.